Ten Years AU
by Crazy Amazing
Summary: Christmas present for someone on this site. Description inside, links to the "I Want To..." stories. Rated M because of strong suggested themes but nothing is explicit.


**Note: You probably could read this without reading the previous stories. This is set in an AU that is similar to the actual story of **_**I Want to Join Team Rocket **_**and**_** I Want to Be Left Alone**_**. The main difference is that Conan and Emma didn't fall in love and were simply friends – everything else is more or less the same. It is set ten years into the future so expect some changes to the characters. I'm only writing this for xPikachu-Princessx's and in no way do I agree with the plot. Oh yeah, and Merry Christmas!

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They had decided to get married in Cianwood City, right next to the beach at low tide. It was an area they knew fairly well and held significantly fond memories to them as a couple. After the service, the few guests that had been invited would retire to the couples' old friend's enormous house where they could eat and stay the night if they wished. Bree had been more than willing to allow for this arrangement and with her parents out of town for the weekend, everyone was certain they would have a great time at the extravagant mansion, sampling all its luxuries.

The guests were standing in two rows with the vast oceanic view stretching out to their side. At the head of the rows were the minister and Daphne Davies, who looked absolutely stunning in a traditionally white dress that had a collar and covered her shoulders, with matching white heeled sandals. It had taken her at least three and a half weeks to find her outfit and Daphne was confident in the knowledge that nothing else could make her look any better. Her curly green hair tumbled across her shoulders like an emerald waterfall, pinned at one side by a white bow clip. Her clear face was furrowed in worry as she fiddled with her modest bouquet, watching the faces of her friends and token 'family' carefully. Albert and Estelle McIntosh, Conan's parents, had become like a second dad and mum to Daphne over the years. She had lived under their roof for as long as Conan had after the three years he had spent away and they treated her like she was part of the family which Daphne appreciated, as she was an orphan. Daphne's only regret was that her real mother was dead and couldn't be there to watch her only child get married. Now a young woman of twenty six, Daphne had long moved out of their house but kept in regular contact with the McIntoshes. It was a nice feeling, to know she could depend on Mr and Mrs McIntosh to be there for her.

Albert held on to his wife's waist supportively, murmuring sweet assurances in her ear that everything was all right. Blind for a good fifteen years, Estelle was excited to attend her first wedding ever since the accident that had caused her disability. She had been depressed for a long time after becoming blind and had barely left her bedroom – let alone her home town – which made this event all the more historical. Estelle clung to Albert, their hands clasped together as they waited for the service to begin. Both were in their best clothes reserved for special occasions only; this included Albert's most meticulous cream shirt and matching shoes paired with pressed dark brown trousers and Estelle's flowing pastel pink summer dress and dainty sandals. Amina, Daphne's blabbermouth Gengar, stood pacing at their feet. In her hands was a velvet cushion that held the two gold wedding bands. Amina now regretted the promise she had made to Daphne the previous day that she would refrain from making any snarky or sarcastic comments. How she itched to say something about the situation they were all in.

Conan's little sister Tate had also become like a sister to Daphne during her stay in the McIntosh house and she was also present at the gathering. In fact, she was one of Daphne's three bridesmaids. Although Tate was twenty four her behaviour was still that of a teenager; a personality trait she prided herself in. She was dressed in a red strap dress that stopped mid-thigh and red bow-detail shoes. Tate's deep purple hair was tied into two low bunches, symbolising her childish nature, and her fringe hung down low in front of her eyes. Next to her was Bree, who wore the exact same bridesmaid outfit as Tate and would have looked similar to the other woman, if not for Bree's shaggy brown hair being cut into an edgy style – unlike Tate's. Bree's tanned skin had grown even darker in recent years, as she now spent most of her free time incorporating ballet with surfing along with the help of her Pokémon. Bree was hoping to have her first performance in the coming month in front of a live audience so she could show off her talent and the successful way in which she had merged the two activities. Tate and Bree were talking incessantly and it seemed that Tate was oblivious to the intense look Bree was giving her or the flirtatious vibes Bree was giving off. Tate had never actually met Bree before although she had heard a lot about the tanned woman from Conan and Daphne, and was interested to know more about her from Bree's own mouth. Similarly, Bree was intrigued by Tate and wanted nothing more than to get to know her better. Bree found herself drawn to the eccentric young lady from the moment they were introduced and couldn't help wanting to be as close to Tate as was comfortable.

Standing near them but in a world of her own was Daphne's old mentor. An ex-field agent for Team Rocket, Laurel Willow had quit the organisation a few years ago. Now a woman in her early thirties, Laurel was single and quickly losing hope that she would ever find a man whom she deemed good enough. The sun beat down on her long black hair, making her a lot hotter than the others standing on the beach. Laurel tugged at the hem of her bridesmaid dress, feeling incredibly self-conscious wearing it. She felt exposed and wasn't particularly fond of the outfit she had been forced into, though she hadn't wanted to complain and ruin Daphne's special day. Her dark legs were being displayed very clearly and Laurel failed to notice her comrade, Travis Lawson, staring at them appreciatively. Like Laurel, Travis had been in and quit Team Rocket at the same time as her. They had been friends ever since they were both eighteen and had a friendship that was rock solid. Travis had recently had his black hair cut short so not only was a lot more of his pale face on show, but he was also considerably cooler than Laurel without the fuss of long hair. He longed to walk over to Laurel, push her hair away from her neck and possibly even kiss her. Travis remained where he was standing. He used to be Conan's mentor, which was why he had earned the title of best man, wearing a red shirt, light grey trousers, red shoes and a concerned expression.

No-one knew where the groom was.

X

From where he stood, Conan could see them in the far distance: Daphne, his parents, Tate, the minister, Bree, Laurel, Travis and Amina. They were waiting on him to arrive so he could marry Daphne. He had invited them all with the sole purpose of them witnessing this momentous chapter in his and Daphne's lives. Conan had been looking forward to this day ever since he had proposed to her several months ago. With all his heart, Conan knew that he loved that woman and wanted to do all her could to keep her safe. Why then, did he find himself barricaded in Bree's small beach hut away from where his friends and family had gathered? He was supposed to be out there, getting bound for eternity to Daphne, the woman he loved. Instead Conan found himself quivering in a cupboard. Every time he talked himself into going out there and going through with the wedding, Conan's legs would freeze up and prevent him from moving. He knew why, too. He was scared to death. Afraid of not being the man Daphne needed him to be. Frightened he was going to end up ruining Daphne's life. What if he turned out to be a useless husband – or worse, when the time came, father?

And so Conan cowered in the hut, chiding him self for not being bold enough to step outside and prove that he was worthy to call him self a man. Eventually, he knew the time would come when everyone gave up on him and went home. They would know he had chickened out. He would let everyone down, including his mum. They would all be disappointed in him, and Conan could only imagine the ghastly things Amina would come out with. Conan too would be bitterly upset that he hadn't had the guts to marry Daphne. However, no-one would be able to match the bride herself in grief. Conan's heart ached to think of the pain he would cause Daphne by not showing up at their wedding but as much as he would like to, he simply couldn't bring himself to go to her. He tried to convince himself that he was saving Daphne from a terrible life with him but even he didn't believe it.

Footsteps approached the small beach hut and Conan stealthily ducked down so as not to be caught. He couldn't risk that. It was one thing for people to know he was a coward; it was another thing entirely for them to catch him in the act of one. There was something undignified about being discovered in a hut at the same time your wedding was going on, even more so than concealing yourself in one in the first place. To Conan's dismay the footsteps stopped just outside the door and he could see the shadow of someone standing outside. He held his breath and prayed with everything he had that they went away. To be found out in this way would be embarrassing, not to mention awkward. How could he possibly begin to explain why he was in the beach hut and not standing next to his fiancée with the biggest smile on his face – as he should be?

The door creaked open slowly and Conan braced himself for whoever it was to enter. Heart hammering wildly against his white silk shirt-covered chest, Conan tensed his body as the door opened further. Quick as a flash the person slipped into the hut, quietly shutting the door behind her – and locking it with the key. Her back was to Conan so all he could identify was that she had shoulder-length black hair. She was wearing an electric blue bikini top and matching sarong that fell to just above her ankles and showed off her feet that were bare of anything except sand. Her getup showed off her hourglass figure perfectly and Conan found himself drawn to it, despite him self.

"What are you doing in here, Conan?" the woman asked without turning around; not that she needed to in order to be recognised. Conan knew whose voice it was in an instant. It was Emma Aldington, an old friend of his and Daphne. They had invited her to their wedding but as Emma hadn't sent a reply they merely assumed she wouldn't be attending. Emma led a busy life in her hometown in the Kanto region where she was a successful gym leader and it had been guessed that Emma simply wasn't able to tear herself away from her gym to make it to the wedding. Although she, Daphne, Bree and Conan had once been close friends, they had slowly drifted apart over the years and so her unanswered invitation didn't affect the couple as strongly as it once might have.

Conan didn't answer her question: his throat had dried up. It had been a while since they had last seen each other face to face.

"You're supposed to be down at the beach, getting married to D-Daphne," continued Emma, her voice cracking when she spoke Daphne's name. Conan simply stared at Emma, not thinking about anything except for the question of why she was there. When Conan made no attempt to speak, Emma turned around to face him. Her face was neutral, it gave nothing away. She analysed his appearance: white shirt and trousers, black shoes, grey tie, purple hair casually tousled. He was so much more mature than the teenage boy she had met ten years ago – and fallen hopelessly in love with. It had been an instant attraction on her part. From the moment Emma had set eyes on Conan, she knew it was meant to be. It didn't matter that Conan showed no interest in her whatsoever, or that he had rejected her advances multiple times with a strong resolve. It had always been hard for her to come to terms with the fact that Daphne was the girl who was the sole recipient of Conan's romantic affection; though Emma never gave up hope that one day Conan would favour herself over their mutual friend Daphne. She refused to let the flame of hope burn out. Dropping to her knees, Emma crawled towards Conan with desire evident in her sparkling green eyes. Conan didn't know what to do. He stayed as still as he could while Emma leaned over his body, her eyes boring into him like she was seeing directly into his soul.

"You don't want to marry her, do you?" Emma asked gently. Conan could feel Emma's soft, sweet breath on his face and he gulped. What she had said was partly true after all and her closeness was making him nervous. The mere thought of marrying Daphne petrified Conan. He couldn't find it in himself to believe that he could be half as good as what Daphne deserved and he neither denied nor confirmed Emma's question.

"Its okay," soothed Emma as she gently stroked the side of Conan's face with a slender finger. "I won't tell anyone you're in here. You're secret is safe with me." Emma closed in on Conan and caught his lips in a kiss, taking him by surprise. After a delayed reaction, Conan pushed her off of him roughly.

"E-Emma! Wh-what are you..?" spluttered Conan. Emma smiled serenely and placed her finger over his lips, quietening him with a calm attitude. Conan froze at the contact.

"Don't worry. What happens in the beach hut stays in the beach hut," she joked. Conan didn't find it amusing in the slightest and Emma decided to change her tone to please him. "I don't want a commitment, like _her_. What's one moment of lust between old friends?"

Conan's head whirled as he registered just what Emma was asking of him. In a twisted way, Emma sort of made sense – not that Conan agreed at this point. Sitting back on her knees, Emma slowly and deliberately untied her sarong to reveal an electric blue thong. Conan's eyes widened when he saw that, coupled with her long, oiled legs and Emma smirked at him. Tossing the skirt aside, she bent forwards to grasp Conan's tie and used it to pull him toward her. Their lips crashed together in a wave of passion and for a moment, Conan forgot where he was. All thoughts of Daphne vanished from his mind. He only thought of what was here and now. His arms lifted cautiously to hold on to Emma's bare waist and this encouraged Emma to deepen their kiss. Conan moaned and allowed his body to fall backwards so that Emma was lying on top of him. As her tongue explored his mouth, Conan's hands explored her body. He focused purely on the physical pleasure Emma was giving him and not on the later ramifications of their actions. Emma knew he was a coward and yet she was still attracted to him. Conan doubted the same would be said for Daphne. He would rather enjoy this time with Emma than face up to causing Daphne to feel emotionally hurt. Emma's soft hair fell against Conan's face as they moved together as one inside the secluded hut. Their bodies meshed together as they kissed with great enthusiasm, every touch impulsive and passionate. Their breathing became laboured as they progressed.

Emma burrowed her head into Conan's neck, inhaling deeply. He had no idea how much she had desired this moment. She wanted to remember everything about it: how it felt, what was said, the way he tasted. Everything.

"I've wanted this for so long," Emma panted, beginning to unbutton Conan's shirt to reveal his toned abdominal area. Her words yanked Conan back into his mind and he began to question what he was doing. This was his wedding day and he was spending it with another woman. What kind of low-life dirty creep had he become? Conan shut his eyes against his conscience and fragments of memory involuntarily flashed in front of him, all of them revolving around time he had spent with Daphne.

_She had introduced herself as Daphne shortly after Conan had introduced himself as her new room mate at the tender age of fourteen. Conan had smiled at her as they shook hands in greeting. Daphne had such soft hands. His instincts told him that they were going to get along excellently and they were going to work well together in order to become Team Rocket field agents._

_When Daphne had broken her hand and was confined to a hospital bed, Conan had stayed at her side until she was free to leave. He had been anxious about the pain she was feeling and offered to help her as much as he could until her hand was healed. Daphne had thanked him with a shy smile which Conan had returned. His heart had jumped a little when she smiled at him although Conan ignored this at the time._

_On the S.S. Anne, Conan had climbed on to Daphne's bunk bed to comfort her after the accidental death of her father. Daphne had reached for his hand and squeezed it silently, tears brimming in her eyes. In that moment, Conan had vowed to protect her for the unforeseeable future. Never did he want to see Daphne looking so lost and helpless again._

_In that unfortunate earthquake in the Union Cave, Daphne had thrown her arms around Conan's middle, burying her face in his chest. He had clutched her body to his tightly; praying they both survived this disaster. He didn't want to lose Daphne and was oddly glad that she was clinging to him in what could be their last moments alive._

_Their first kiss together in Ecruteak City's gym, under the cover of complete darkness, had also been Conan's first ever kiss though Daphne claimed it was just for practise. It had been far greater than he could have imagined. Conan hadn't wanted it to end, searching for Daphne's lips in the darkness long after she had pulled away. That had been the moment Conan began to really fall for her._

_Being reunited in a cell somewhere in Johto had sparked all sorts of impulsive actions on both sides. They hugged firmly and Daphne had kissed Conan's cheek repeatedly before coming to her senses and apologising for doing so. Conan didn't have a voice to tell her that he didn't mind one bit, in a daze as Daphne's kisses had left his cheek tingling. Daphne had rested her head on Conan's shoulder and ordered him never to leave her. As if he ever would._

_Their first Christmas in Conan's house had at some point, found them both underneath a sprig of mistletoe. Embarrassed, they had attempted to move past the moment without the customary kiss and would have done so too – if not for Tate. She had seen them and demanded they not spoil the Christmas mood. What else could they do but kiss?_

_Daphne had come home in tears. Concerned, Conan gave her his shoulder to cry on and it was then that the entire story came pouring out. Her boyfriend of one year, Daniel, had broken up with her for another girl. Heartbroken, Daphne had cried herself to sleep in Conan's arms that night. He wasn't sure if it was his resolve to make Daniel pay for hurting Daphne or the voice in his head telling him that he would never make her feel this bad, that made Conan realise he had fallen completely in love with her._

_The two friends had gone to watch Zombie Pikachu III, alone. Huddled together at the back of the dark cinema as they witnessed the un-dead Pokémon ripping apart its once-loved trainer, Conan revelled at the fact that Daphne was gripping his arm in fear. Her hold tightened as the gore on the big screen increased, Conan's grin widening as he wrapped an arm around her shaking form. It wasn't much but he would be content with it – for now._

_Calming his thoughts, Conan gathered all of his courage to say what he needed to Daphne. They were both twenty two at this point. Finally, Conan had had enough of the torture of seeing Daphne with other guys, even if they did make her happy. He had always been there to comfort her at the end of every relationship and Conan decided that it was about time _he_ had a chance at making Daphne happy. He admitted the deep affection he had for Daphne at long last and waited for her reaction._

_Bending on one knee, Conan smiled as tears of joy collected in Daphne's big brown eyes. He opened the small satin box to reveal the dainty white gold engagement ring. Nodding her silent yes, tears spilled down Daphne's cheeks while Conan slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit and they grinned at each other._

Conan grabbed Emma's hands, stopping her from getting any further in her task of undressing him. While reflecting on all the special moments he had shared with Daphne, Emma had succeeded in opening up Conan's shirt completely. Conan had come to his senses. Why would he leave the woman he loved for the woman he only mildly liked? No excuse was good enough. Emma stared at Conan quizzically, wondering why he had prevented her from continuing what she had started. With a new-found will power, Conan flipped Emma over so that she was at _his_ mercy. Emma smiled to herself, thinking that as the man, Conan simply wished to be in control of the situation.

"I'm sorry Emma; I can't do this. You're an attractive woman but...I love my Daffy." A beam stretched across Conan's face as he realised what this meant. He would go through with the wedding even if he wasn't good enough for her – it only meant he would try his best to be. There was a beautiful green-haired woman waiting for him to arrive on the edge of the beach and if Conan wasn't careful, she might just give up on him. He couldn't let that happen and would have to hurry. He didn't have a watch but guessed that he had kept Daphne waiting for half an hour. Clambering to his feet, Conan quickly buttoned up his shirt and smoothed out all the wrinkles that had been created when Emma had lain on top of him. Emma's green eyes flashed angrily and she jumped to her feet, running to the door where she proceeded to take the key out of the lock after making sure the door was locked. Conan wouldn't be able to leave now. She couldn't let him go back to Daphne; Emma's heart forbade it.

"You're not going anywhere," said Emma in a low and dangerous voice. Conan eyed the slim woman who stood between him and marrying his dream woman. What was he to do? Conan barely thought twice before he lunged at Emma, pinning her arms behind her back and swiping the key easily out of her hand. Emma struggled, grunting, but didn't manage to overpower Conan no matter how much she tried. Still holding on to her hands, Conan tugged her over to the door where he unlocked it with one hand. When it clicked open, Conan shoved Emma into the middle of the room and dashed out of the hut, not hesitating to lock it from the outside. Burying the key in his trouser pocket, Conan walked with confidence in the direction of his friends, family and one true love.

As he walked away, Conan was oblivious to Emma's emotional pain. Realising that he had rejected her for what would be the final time, she had fallen to the floor where her body shook violently as each sob burst out of her. She felt like her heart had been ripped straight out of her chest and knew that she would never be happy again. How could she be happy without Conan? Emma closed her eyes against the world and vowed never to love again.

X

Eyes downcast, Daphne had come to the conclusion that Conan wasn't going to turn up. He should have been there forty minutes ago. Daphne had finally come to terms with the fact that Conan regretted his proposal of marriage. He wasn't exactly the first guy to dump her but he was the first to do so at the altar and she wasn't surprised that this hurt more than any of the other times. At the back of her mind, Daphne had known all along their relationship was simply too good to last. They were simply too good together. Nothing lasted forever and everything had its own personal expiration date. Daphne couldn't bring herself to catch the eyes of her guests. They were all thinking the same thing and pity for the jilted bride was evident in their kind hearts. It would only make it worse if Daphne saw them looking so forlornly at them. She didn't think there had been a time when she had felt so rejected and indeed couldn't imagine a time in the future when she would feel like this again. It was an awful feeling. She and Conan had become adults together and gone through events in their lives that most people never experience. Those events had only brought them closer and strengthened their friendship: a friendship that had beaten the test of time. It had taken Daphne a long time to fall for Conan because they had been best friends for years and she had refused to see him as anything else – until the day Conan confessed his true feelings for her. That had certainly put things in perspective for Daphne. She had been forced to look deep within herself and after a minimal amount of searching, discovered that she did return Conan's feeling. They had been blissfully happy ever since and as the days went past, their feelings had only flourished.

At least, that was how it seemed to Daphne. Had Conan grown tired of her after all this time? Perhaps he had only proposed because he felt like he should and not because he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her alone. It was possible that Conan had only recently realised his mistake and was too ashamed to face Daphne; that was why he hadn't turned up at the wedding. If anything, he was doing Daphne a great kindness by not becoming her husband. She would be free to marry a man who truly did want to be bound to her for life.

But Conan was the only man Daphne wanted.

"I'm sorry everyone," began Daphne in a voice as small as her hope, "but I don't think Conan is coming." Her eyes stayed fixed on her bouquet. It was a combination of her and Conan's favourite flowers. Her fingers gripped the short stalks in heated humiliation. Daphne longed to cry but didn't want to do so in front of everyone so she bravely held her tears in. There would be plenty of time to wallow over this later, in private where she didn't have to see pitying faces gazing at her and hear words of commiseration. Amina nudged Daphne's leg.

"_Don't be so hasty to call it off. Look who it isn't!"_ she cried happily, pointing out to the distance. As if by some miracle, Conan was marching purposefully towards them, a humble smile across his face. Daphne's eyes lifted inch by inch, afraid of what she might see. When she caught sight of her fiancé, Daphne's heart soared with overwhelming merriment and her dull brown eyes lit up like flames. Her guests gave a universal sigh of relief and Albert whispered to his wife that their son was approaching at long last. Estelle smiled at that. Conan took his place opposite Daphne and apologised for being late. The minister smiled to himself: young folk were that much more prone to cold feet. He could have predicted the way this service had turned out in a heartbeat. Tate and Bree frowned at Conan for making Daphne so worried, as did Laurel. Travis gave the groom an encouraging 'thumbs up', glad that he had turned up eventually. It wouldn't have looked good for either of them if he hadn't. Conan's parents were annoyed with their son for making Daphne wait so long but were now ready to see – or in Estelle's case, hear – their only son be married. Unable to contain herself, Daphne threw her arms around Conan's neck, glad he had decided to marry her after all. She whispered in his ear just how much she loved him and with that final sentiment, the service began.

"Dearly beloved," the minister began, "we are gathered here today to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which shouldn't be entered into unadvisedly or lightly. Through marriage, Conan Jeremy McIntosh and Daphne Darla Davies make a commitment together to face their disappointments, embrace their dreams, realise their hopes, and accept each other's failures." Clutching the velvet cushion for support, Amina sniggered: she couldn't _believe_ Conan's middle name was Jeremy. She was going to hold this over him forever and began to plot ways in which she could poke fun at him for future reference. Amina was going to have such fun with this one.

The rest of the wedding continued as planned until the time came for the rings to be placed on the bride and groom. Amina raised her cushion in the air, giving them easier access to the golden bands. Daphne picked Conan's up and, gazing into his eyes with an unwavering smile, slid it effortlessly on to his ring-finger. Before Daphne took her hand away, Conan pulled it towards him and kissed the back of her hand fondly.

"_Aw how sweet," _drawled Amina sarcastically, completely forgetting her earlier promise of being careful of what she said._ "Hurry it up will ya: some of us are half starved!" _Weak chuckles came from the other guests although they didn't exactly disagree with the Ghost-type Pokémon. They were all pretty hungry, though admittedly it was heart-warming to watch the cute exchange. Even Estelle was touched by it, after Albert had described to her what had happened. Conan reached for the other ring and Daphne slotted her finger through it. Her happiness increased tenfold when the minister said the words she had been yearning to hear ever since Conan had proposed:

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Without waiting for Conan to move, Daphne threw herself at him; Conan had no other option than to catch her as she pressed her lips against his. It was their first kiss as husband and wife and Daphne wanted to make it memorable. Her eyes closed on their own accord, hiding the fireworks that had sparked there. Her blood raced through her system as she thought about what this kiss meant. They had done it. They were married. Daphne and Conan had gone over this moment hundreds of times and had agreed that it would be highly embarrassing to become too intimate with their kiss in front of their friends and family. Somewhere at the back of Conan's mind, he remembered this agreement – and yet, as they were mid-kiss, Conan gently opened his mouth and softly nudged the Daphne's open using his tongue. The minister, clearly shocked by such an enthusiastic kiss, flushed bright red and cleared his throat nervously to get their attention. Estelle leaned over to her husband and asked what was happening, as everything had turned strangely quiet. Albert didn't answer his wife.

"_Oh, get a room!"_ complained Amina loudly. Her whining brought the newly married couple back to reality and they sprung apart, guilty expressions fixed on their faces yet neither looked like they regretted anything. Daphne then prepared herself to throw her bouquet to her guests for one of them to catch, signalling the next of them to be married – according to the myth anyway. Albert directed Estelle away from the small crowd while Tate, Bree, Travis, Laurel and Amina got into positions they each thought would give them the best chance of catching the flowers. As the only man, Travis looked a little out of place and Conan found himself grinning as the thirty one year old braced him self into a sturdy stance. Noticing Conan's smirk, Travis rolled his eyes good-naturedly and focused his attention on the small bouquet in Daphne's hands. Smiling and wishing each of her guests luck, Daphne turned around to face the sea.

The brilliant blue of the sky and sea was almost blinding. Ripples of waves broke the even surface of the vast ocean. Fluffy white clouds dotted about in the sky moved with an assuring slowness. The sun glowed as its bright rays warmed the planet far below. The soothing sound of the waves ebbing and flowing filled Daphne's ears. High up above, a lone Wingull soared across the scene and was soon accompanied by another. The two Wingulls interacted with each other, seemingly with tender contact. Daphne smiled and her smile only grew larger when something even better came into view. Conan. His face was a picture of love and admiration and it was all Daphne looked at as she raised her arms to throw back her bouquet. Daphne didn't turn around until the yelps of excitement had died down.

Laurel and Travis both had one hand each on opposite ends of the bouquet, as well as matching expressions of shock. Daphne gave a satisfied nod of approval. She wouldn't have had it any other way. To their credit, Laurel and Travis didn't know where to look. Laurel didn't move, scarcely daring to breathe. Her thoughts were scrambled and anyway, she didn't know what to think. Travis quickly recovered from his shock and grinned, staring at his ex-partner in crime. Laurel could feel his eyes on her and refused to look at him. Amina sighed to herself and decided to help them out. She hopped over to the couple and 'helpfully' shoved Laurel so that she nearly fell head first into the sand. Travis caught her just in time, his arms wrapping around her body protectively. Laurel gaped up at him, her dark eyes misty. The bouquet dropped to the ground. Travis winked at her. Love was most definitely in the air.

"_Can we eat now?"_ Amina asked Bree loudly. Laughing, Bree replied that of course they could and led the way to her house with Tate at her side. Albert and Estelle followed, Laurel and Travis close behind. The minister had declined the offer of food and was retreating back to his home town. All the drama had been too much for his old heart to handle. Bringing up the rear of the group were the newlyweds, arms around each others' waists. Daphne snuggled up to Conan and glanced at him with adoration from time to time. This was her husband. He had arrived a late to the wedding but when he did get there, everything had gone smoothly. Daphne's worries had been eased the moment she saw Conan walking up the beach to meet her. She no longer doubted his immense love. Sure, Daphne supposed he had experienced some cold feet but Conan had managed to overcome it, which meant the world to her. Kissing Conan's neck, Daphne found she couldn't wait for their honeymoon, not to mention the rest of their lives together. Her hold on Conan's shirt tightened.

"I'm so glad you turned up," she murmured against his skin. Conan hugged her closer.

"Me too," he replied, thinking for the first time of the poor girl he had locked in the beach hut. Shaking Emma off of his mind, Conan made a mental note to tell someone where she was so that she could be released as soon as possible. Right now, he was going to enjoy the rest of his day with the new Mrs McIntosh – the woman he, without a single doubt, loved with all his heart.


End file.
